Terry was jeered from his first touch and appeared shaken by his hate-filled reception when he let Spurs striker Adebayor in to break the deadlock early in the match.

But the defender regained his composure and stood firm in the face of non-stop abuse, and was his team’s hero with an injury-time goalline clearance to help Chelsea earn a 1-1 draw.

Adebayor said: “There is a lot of problems for Chelsea, around players like John Terry.

“We are human beings, we have problems with our family, problems at home, things like that. But when you pull the shirt on, you just have to manage. It is always difficult in your head but you have to try and manage to put the problem behind you and work for the team.

“You have got another 10 players who are there, so you have to show them respect by working hard and doing what it takes.

“I think John Terry showed great personality, great character. He played very well.

“All those things, you deal with them through experience.

“It’s not the first time John Terry has had problems in his life or career.

“He has had a couple of problems already so I think he knows how to deal with them.”

Ledley King also backed Terry. “He’s a top player,” said the Spurs skipper. “He’s got himself in the right position and saved his team at the end.

“He is such a strong character and lets his football do the talking out there.

“It doesn’t surprise me that, with all that’s happening off the pitch, he’s able to put in performances like that.”